Chris Brown has denied suggestions he is responsible for leaking nude snaps of ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

Intimate self-portraits of the Umbrella singer posing in various states of undress in what appears to be a hotel room surfaced online on Friday, prompting speculation that Chris has made photos from his private collection public in response to their alleged bust up in February.

But the R&B star insists he had nothing to do with the photos coming to light.

A representative for the star tells Essence.com: "This is both a false and defamatory statement. Chris has not released or 'leaked' any photos of Rihanna (or anyone else for that matter)."

Officials in the legal department at Rihanna's record company Island Def Jam Music Group have moved swiftly to bury the scandal, sending cease and desist notices to websites that have posted the photos.

A letter obtained by TMZ calls for the immediate removal of "unauthorised photos purported to be...Rihanna".

It also calls the pictures a violation of "the artist's rights", suggesting that the pics are in fact genuine.

Meanwhile, these aren't the only leaked photos Chris has to contend with at the moment.

Earlier this week, his lawyer filed papers at a Los Angeles court asking the city's police department to explain how pictures of an injured Rihanna, taken after their alleged altercation, were leaked to the media.

Rihanna & Chris in more innocent times